Soda and energy drinks are often consumed. Energy drinks, which are full of caffeine and sugar, give your body instant energy from the first few sips. However, this energy is very harmful for the body. Consumption of energy drinks (sweet, carbonated beverages containing stimulants such as caffeine or guarana) remains quite high in young people, despite their well-known side effects.
Health experts warn about the harmful effects of beverages, telling parents to be extra vigilant.
THE DAMAGES DO NOT END WITH COUNTING
New research has established direct links between excessive energy drink consumption in children and adolescents and the likelihood of experiencing serious health risks that affect the heart, nervous system, liver and kidneys. An elementary school student had a “heart attack” and had to get his stomach pumped after drinking 355 ml of a sweet carbonated beverage.
A recent study published in the journal Nutrients found that underage children who reported consuming excessive amounts of energy drinks, especially those containing caffeine, saw serious effects on their health, especially if they had pre-existing medical conditions or were taking stimulant medications.
EXPERIENCED HEART PROBLEMS
Researchers studied 18 children and adolescents under the age of 18 who reported adverse health events related to energy drink consumption. Nearly half of them (45 percent) experienced side effects in their cardiovascular system, including cardiac arrhythmia and arterial hypertension (high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs and right side of the heart).
VARIOUS SIDE EFFECTS OCCURRED
Some have also experienced acute coronary artery vasospasm (when your heart’s arteries suddenly contract, causing spasms) and spontaneous coronary artery dissection when a tear appears in the wall of a coronary artery that supplies blood to your heart. In some cases, young people had pre-existing health problems or potential triggers, while in a few cases cardiovascular side effects occurred after consuming large amounts of energy drinks for several days without other triggers or medical conditions.
CAN CAUSE DISORDERS OF SUGAR METABOLISM
One case of spontaneous coronary artery dissection occurred after consumption of moderate amounts of caffeinated energy drinks. The researchers attributed these cardiovascular side effects to the high caffeine content in energy drinks, which participants found raised blood pressure. “Due to their high sugar content, chronic intake of energy drinks can lead to sugar metabolism disorders and overweight, ultimately leading to long-term cardiovascular [koşulları] increases,” they added.
THOUGHT TO BE CONNECTED TO BRAIN DISEASES
Thirty-three percent of the 18 participants also found that their nervous systems were affected by carbonated energy drinks. The neuropsychiatric effects of energy drinks are largely understudied, but chronic consumption of caffeinated energy drinks is thought to be linked to panic attacks, psychotic seizures, hyperexcitability, and headaches, the researchers said. It is also believed to negatively affect brain development, leading to insomnia, attention deficit disorder, and hyperactivity.
CAUSED RENAL FAILURE
Two of the 18 children experienced side effects on their livers, and the researchers attributed this to the energy drinks’ containing niacin and large amounts of sugar. A 17-year-old boy included in the researchers’ analysis suffered from acute kidney failure due to the high amounts of taurine in the drinks. The researchers concluded that minors should be educated about the potential dangers of energy drink consumption to help them make informed choices and avoid negative effects on their health.